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Persevering through Persecution: Paul and Silas in Berea
As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Acts 17:10, NIV Paul and his companions visited Thessalonica and shared the good news in their synagogue. A great number of people followed them, but a certain group of Jews persecuted them. That’s why they went to Berea since the believers in Thessalonica wanted Paul and Silas to be safe and escape persecution. However, in the second part of the verse, Paul and Silas went to the Jewish synagogue and weren’t afraid of persecution. They continued to share the gospel despite what they experienced in Thessalonica. If I…
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When We Envy Other People, We Tend To Think Of Bad Things Towards Them
But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. Acts 17: 5, NKJV When Paul came to Thessalonica, he went to the synagogue to share about Jesus. A great multitude of devout Greeks, including a few women, were persuaded. But there was a group of Jews who didn’t agree with what Paul was sharing. It was said that they were envious of what Paul and the other believers had experienced. After that, they gathered some…
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God Also Wanted To Save Our Entire Household
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. Acts 16: 31:34, NIV Paul and Silas were in prison when they met a jailer who also wanted to be saved. After the man…
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How We Respond To Our Struggles Will Become An Important Message To The People Around Us
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16: 29-30, NIV While Paul and Silas were in prison, they didn’t respond violently to the people who persecuted them. Instead, they chose to worship God even while suffering. The prisoners even heard them worshipping in the darkness. Suddenly, there was an earthquake, and the prison doors were opened. Their chains came loose, and it could’ve been the perfect time for them to escape. At that moment, the jailer woke up, and when he saw that the prison doors were…
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Compelled By Love
Paul and Silas worshipped God in the prison when a violent earthquake happened. The prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. If they had been so focused on getting out of their cell, they could’ve freely escaped and saved themselves. But then, they didn’t do it. When the jailer woke up, he realized that Paul and the other prisoners chose to stay. And Paul even said to the man not to harm himself. Because of this act, I can say that Paul and Silas didn’t worship God because they needed something from Him. If they had this motive inside, then they could’ve treated the circumstance as God’s way…
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Paul Went Through Many Challenges, But He Never Gave Up
The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Acts 16:22-23, NIV When Paul cast out the evil spirit inside a woman, a group of people complained and attacked them because their hope of making money was gone. Because of this, Paul and Silas were beaten with rods and severely flogged. Aside from that, they were also thrown into prison. Indeed, doing God’s will was not smooth and comfortable, especially in Paul’s life. There were instances when…
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It’s God Who Will Open The Hearts Of His People
One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. Acts 16:14, NIV As Paul preached about the good news in Macedonia, a woman named Lydia was listening to them. Acts 16:14 states that “the Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” This is an important reminder for all of us. We may excellently deliver the gospel, and people may preach God’s word by using effective methods, but at the end of the day, it’s God who will open the hearts of His…
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God Has Great Plans For Paul Despite The Redirections That He Received
During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:9-10, NIV Before this vision, Paul received a series of redirections. God convicted him not to enter certain places because He had greater plans in mind. Instead of answering Paul’s desire to preach the word of God in the province of Asia, God led them to Macedonia, a province lying in the north of Greece, where the churches in…
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Trust God Despite The Redirections You Experience In Life
Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. Acts 16:6-7, NIV Paul was in the middle of his mission when the Holy Spirit would prompt him not to enter certain places. Even though his intention was good, which was to preach the gospel, there were still instances when God would say ‘no’ to his request. This doesn’t mean that Paul did something wrong or God doesn’t want…
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Being Faithful In The Midst Of Suffering
Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Acts 16:1-2, NIV The first time Paul visited Lystra, he was stoned and greatly persecuted. It wasn’t an easy journey for him. In Acts 14:19, it was written, “Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.” If these people thought that Paul was dead, then it was evident that he was in great pain. But…
